One Hell of a Hump
by Oh-no-she-di'ent
Summary: Usually, it's the first time that brings the pressure.  For Luke, it's the second.  Rated M for Romance and sexy stuff. L/L.


_**Disclaimer: **_I own nothing, I tell you! Nothing!

Hello, Readers! This story takes place in S5. L/L are together, but it's very early in their relationship. It's a different account of when they first got together, and how it went down afterwards. Complete & rated M. Enjoy the read!

**One Hell of a Hump**

"So…how was it?"

That was the first thing Lorelai thought of after finally sleeping with Luke.

After eight weeks, she was _finally_ able to provide an answer to Sookie's premature question. A question that came back to her just as Luke returned to his side of the bed and they both kept distance, took in air, and used the moment to reflect.

She thought for a long while before settling on a bashful conclusion. '_Good, Sookie. Pretty surprising. And good. Surprising in a good way,' _she summed up.

She'd had an orgasm. Something that didn't often happen on the first time for her. Just a combination of not being 100 percent comfortable and having way too many thoughts. And sometimes nervousness would seep over to the guy's side too, and he'd just end up not being very good.

But she'd had a very satisfying orgasm with Luke.

The sex was so intimate. That was the surprising part. Felt very emotional and beautiful. Seemed to be something you'd slap a ballad to. Which was weird. Usually, sex was just…_sex_. At least as far as she was concerned.

The experience with Luke made for some uneasiness as breathing slowed. There were shy gazes, random conversation topics, fidgeting. Lorelai grew tired of it all rather fast and did something about it. She had to slide and scoot to cover the crazy distance created, but she managed to do that before connecting with him.

They kissed a little bit.

Touched a little bit.

Talked about more random things. This time with a better and more familiar flow.

Eventually, they slept. The next morning was easy but rushed since they both had tight agendas. After each had taken a quick shower and dressed, they stood in the kitchen against the sink eating and talking. Luke scarfed down plain oatmeal, and Lorelai tore into a blueberry bagel, which would only serve as her breakfast appetizer. Luke ended up glaring at her when she dipped a chunk of her bagel in his bowl without warning at the very moment she wondered aloud how the 'mushy breakfast goop' must taste. Satisfied at the comical show of disgust that immediately appeared across her face, he went back to packing his mouth with heaping spoonfuls.

Luke finished in no time. Set his bowl in the sink and had Lorelai mumbling "almost done, too!" as she stuffed the last of the bagel into her mouth. She went for her purse and jacket and led them to the door. Dressed in last night's clothes, she still needed to get home and change into fresh attire. Luke opened the door for her and only stole one shy glance at her cleavage before she walked through the threshold.

"Lunch, right?"

"Count on it," she promised. She fingered his scruffy chin and released him with a soft smile when he ducked his head. "So, we finally had a date."

"Yeah, finally. Did you…have a good time?"

She nodded. "Had a really good time. How about you?"

"Yeah. Uh, better than I could've imagined, actually." He smiled at her smile. "We'll set up something else later, if that's okay with you."

"Everything's a go on this end, gentleman Luke."

He shook his head amusedly. "When you go downstairs and order up your usual calorie fest, tell Caesar I said your breakfast is on the house, alright?"

"What's it doing up there?"

He rolled his eyes. "Just tell him."

"I'll do no such thing. I'll order, I'll pay, I'll tip, and I'll pointlessly plead to have the place turned into an open bar. Same as always. No special treatment. Understand?"

He shrugged. "If you insist."

"Pesky pride won't accept anything less, I'm afraid. So yes, gentleman Luke, I insist."

"Guess you're going to make me ask…"

"You're a gentleman," she explained simply before he could officially inquire. "I'm totally privy now."

"Jeez." He shook his head. "Opening a few doors makes me a gentleman?"

"It makes you polite. Gentleman status came after all those doors had been opened," she informed him matter-of-factly.

He was quiet for a stretch of time. "Are you talking about something not suitable for children?"

She laughed. "What do you think?"

"I think I'm talking to someone whose mind goes from zero to dirty with no warning at all."

"I wouldn't say _no_ warning," she responded after some thought.

"Forget I asked," he followed with a smile.

"Well, okay. Only because we're both really late, and I still have to go home and get pretty." She started at him. He stared at her. A smile spread on their lips at the same time. "This is, _cough_, where you're supposed to tell me, _cough_, that you didn't think it was possible to look any better than I do right now. _Cough_ _cough_."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear any of that through all the coughing. You must be coming down with something." He pretended to look concerned. "Can I get you some water?"

She smiled broadly and shook her head. "No, but you can get me a new boyfriend, Wise Guy."

He smiled. "Hey, just being a gentleman."

"Oh, sure. And on that note, you sneaky opportunist, I'll bid you adieu."

He met her eyes as his smile receded bit by bit. "Guess I'll bid you one, too, then."

She smiled. "Bye, Luke."

His impassioned eyes seemed determined to draw her back inside. "Take care," he said deeply.

With a shy and off-balance turn, she finally took her eyes from his and started putting one foot in front of the other. He watched her walk her sexy walk toward the stairs before he closed the door and turned to finish up upstairs.

Lorelai's mention of "boyfriend" gave him butterflies. It'd taken years to get that title and a few weeks longer to convince himself that she was actually okay with bestowing it upon him.

What Luke felt, could only be described as _happy_.

He finished upstairs and finally went to work in the diner. He thought of Lorelai. Did that pretty much until he saw her again that afternoon. Their interaction was public, of course, and the lunch couldn't have been shorter, but despite those two disappointments, his biggest frustration was due to his inability to spend time with her that night.

She had to work late.

He'd already planned their evening together. He thought he'd make dinner at his place, and then follow it with a late night stroll near the lake to walk off the meal before ending up…back at his place.

He hadn't shared his plans with Lorelai, so she wasn't aware that she'd inadvertently thrown a wrench in their second date night. Upon departure, she leaned over the countertop and met his lips in a barely satisfying kiss—one appropriate for their locale. He smiled anyway. Because it was still nice. And it was still Lorelai. A soft pat to his hand would have sent him flying over the moon if she was the one doing the patting.

The next night ended up being a no-go as well. Same with the one after that. It was a tug-of-war battle between him and her new business, the Dragonfly. So far, he was on the losing end.

Luke took the letdowns okay. After all, he'd been where she was. When he'd first opened the diner, he didn't have much free time to speak of either. So, he didn't pressure Lorelai about her time restraints.

He showed understanding.

Definitely didn't fault her or blame her when two back-to-back working nights turned to three and three turned to five. He saw her each of those days since every minute she didn't _have_ to be at work, she spent in the diner with him. And each time he saw her, he'd coolly ask about her schedule only to get another heartfelt regret.

He never felt that she was making excuses to avoid him. Her actions always spoke loud and clear. She had started prolonging the goodbye kisses despite being surrounded by friends, neighbors, and strangers. On one occasion, she'd leaned over the counter and started kissing him with tongue. He'd thoughtlessly begun to reciprocate and didn't even realize it until the succession of catcalls.

Luke's feelings for Lorelai were real and deep and felt more permanent than anything he'd ever experienced. The last thing he ever wanted to do was make her think he was some kind of user—someone who'd _pined_ for sex, only _wanted_ sex, and didn't care about anything _but_ sex.

Nevertheless…he was still a guy. He'd had sex with Lorelai, and Lord Help him, memories from that night ran through his mind _every single minute of every single hour_.

Looking at hamburger buns made him think of a different pair of perfectly shaped buns. Listening to someone hum a happy, gracious tune when they bit into their cheeseburger made his mind snap back to her moaning and panting in his ear as he penetrated her. Seeing customers lick sauce from fingers brought back memories of him sucking and licking and sucking and sucking and sucking Lorelai's nipples until she was biting her lip and squirming in bliss.

He wanted to experience it again. And again and again and again…

One solitary time was torture. He longed for the next date night. The nice evening with her would, no doubt, be fulfilling in its own right, but quite frankly, _Luke needed some sex_.

Unfortunately, he felt everything was still too new to just let that be known. She'd called him a gentleman, and though he hated the term, that's what he always strived to be when it came to women and intimacy. He was pretty old-fashioned in that respect, so he was a firm believer in wining and dining and _earning_ that particular nightcap.

When Lorelai came in on the eighth day and told him about the next few days that would leave even less time for outside activities, Luke was sure he'd just been issued a death sentence.

"Oh," he responded quietly.

Lorelai slid onto a stool and crossed her smooth, skirt-covered legs. "I'm sorry, Luke."

Luke avoided her eyes in an effort to keep his true feelings hidden. "No, no, it's alright. It's not your fault, right?"

"Well, it was my idea to strike out on my own and saddle an entire enterprise on my back. As much as I hate fingers pointed in my face, a little of this is probably my fault."

"It's nobody's fault. Business is good. That's a good thing. The busier you are, the more I see my money working for me," he said with a cool wink as he alluded to his investment.

Lorelai smiled with a genuine sign of relief. "Coffee, Babe?"

He turned immediately to get her a cup full. He was a goner when she talked to him that way. He didn't doubt that he'd pull her shoes off and give her a foot rub right there in the diner if she requested one in that manner. Another sign that their relationship was five-minutes-off-the-showroom-floor new. The eight years he'd known her didn't matter one bit when it came to getting used to her on this level.

"You know, here I am keeping you updated every day on my time off, or _lack thereof_, assuming that you're like _dying_ to have a night out with me, and you could be just as busy with this place as I am at the Dragonfly," she mentioned casually as she retrieved her mug from him. "If you're a candidate for the workaholic role, I'd be willing to share, ya know."

He smiled a little. "No, you're doing a fine job holding that down by yourself."

She narrowed her eyes critically. "He says…jokingly?"

He smiled more.

"Oh no, he's serious! The heartthrob smile gives him away!" she announced.

Luke worked on smiling less. "I'm _not_ serious," he relayed monotonously. "I know you've got to work, and it's not a problem. I've…barely given a second date any thought anyway." At her instant show of offense, he clarified. "I mean, I was just waiting until your schedule was clear before worrying about it."

"Really?"

"Really," he answered easily.

"So…whatever, whenever, couldn't care less?"

He chuckled. "Wouldn't say that."

"What would you say, then?"

He paused and thought. "How did I become the bad guy in this scenario? I'm the one who's being patient, remember?"

She smiled and took a drink of coffee. "Just trying to make sure you haven't lost interest."

He shook his head. "As long as you're still in, I'll always be in."

She winked. "Well, isn't that music to my middle aged fat gene's ears."

He chuckled. "I aim to please."

"I believe it." She licked her lips with anticipation and reached for a basket of fries that Luke was kind enough to give her without being asked. With eager fingers, she snatched up a fry and crunched into it. "Hey, what are you doing tonight?"

He met her eyes anxiously. "Nothing much. Why?"

"Well, AMC is playing Diabolique, and I thought you could watch it."

His brows lifted in question. "With you? What about work?"

She popped a fry in her mouth and picked up her mug. "No, no, not with me. My time is so not my own these days. I've seen it, of course, and I'll be recording it at home. I thought that when I finally got a night off, we could watch it together, but if you watch it before then, we'd actually be able to converse a little bit. You'll have seen it, so you'll be this big expert. Whaddya think?"

Luke rolled his eyes. A movie on AMC wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind when she'd asked about his free time. "An expert? I somehow doubt that."

"Good idea, though?"

"Well, let me see. Spending my night alone watching a movie I have absolutely no interest in just so I can be ready for your special oral exam? Sure, best idea ever. Where can I sign up?" he asked blandly.

Lorelai grew excited. "So, you're in!"

Luke sounded sullen. Barely felt enough energy to react to her sarcasm. "No."

She deflated. "Tease."

He thoughtfully inspected the other customers in the place as he stood away from the counter. He lowered his eyes to her and found her looking at him. He smiled automatically when she questioned him with her eyes. "How long do you have today?"

"For lunch?" she asked while simultaneously nibbling on a french fry. She answered without waiting on affirmation. "Got to be back at the inn at one."

Luke glanced at the clock. "In forty minutes," he noted.

"In forty minutes," she confirmed slowly as she regarded him with suspicion.

He stuck his hands in his pockets. "What?"

Lorelai smiled. "You're being weird," she stated. "You know I'm planning to spend every bit of those forty minutes right here, don't you?"

He shrugged, looked down. "Well, I assumed you would."

"Well, I _am_," she assured vehemently. "I'm sitting right here on this stool, and I'm going to stare into those gorgeous….currently fidgety eyes of yours," she added in amusement. "The whole time. This is my vacation time. And you're my hula dancer."

Luke met her eyes and blinked away. If he had the gall to do so, he'd lean in and tell her where and how they could really spend those forty minutes. His desperation was causing his standards to lower. A lunch could be considered a date, right? She was looking extraordinary, and he was feeling….well, ready.

"Hey, I have an idea," said Lorelai.

"Oh, yeah, what's that?" he asked plainly, already assuming the idea wouldn't be anywhere near what he had in mind.

"What do you say we go somewhere?"

Intrigue. Hope. "Like where?"

Her eyes grew excited. "Just somewhere, anywhere where we can be alone, you know? It's been a while since-"

"Eight days," he blurted. She smiled but looked confused. He shook his head. "Something like that, I think," he covered with a shrug. "You were saying?"

She chuckled that time. "Yeah, um, I was saying it's been a while since we've had a chance to really be alone." She leaned in and smiled when he took an anxious step forward. "The diner's not that busy just yet, so Caesar can handle it, right?"

He nodded. Didn't really give a damn if he had to kick everyone out at that point and shut everything down. "Yeah, he can handle it," he answered.

She smiled. "Good." She winked at him and moved her eyes to the large window that showed the town square. "Let's grab a couple burgers and eat in the gazebo. Just you and me." She returned her hypnotic eyes to him.

Luke looked outside then back at her. "Do what?" he asked, sure he'd heard her wrong.

She sighed and smiled even wider, looked even more beautiful. "Gazebo, Luke. You and me."

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had to be kidding. He leaned on the counter and rubbed the bridge of his nose before he dropped his hand and met her eyes. "Um, why did—I mean, I thought you said…" He paused as they looked at one another.

She lifted her brows questioningly but he still didn't resume. "Thought I said what?"

He blinked. "Well…the gazebo isn't really us being _alone_. You said _alone_, and…the gazebo is, I'm sure, the…opposite of that," he relayed considerately.

Her broad smile and normal volume suggested no comprehension on what he was saying. "No, it's good. See, in the gazebo, it'd just be the two of us, and we can talk and be disgusting and cute," she said as she playfully pinched his cheek. He grew noticeably irritated, and she rubbed over the area with a more genuine soft touch to make up for the action as she continued talking. "And the fresh air would be nice. I've been cooped up inside all day, and so have you."

He sighed. "Yeah, but…" He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose again. He felt her still touching his face. Just…for the sake of touching him, it appeared. She wasn't on a mission to remove a smudge or anything. She wasn't exactly making the G-rated thoughts want to replace the current ones in his mind.

"But what, Hon?"

He lowered his hand and dropped his head. "Nothing." He shook his head. "Nothing at all. Gazebo sounds good." He met her eyes, then.

"Really? Because just now, you were-"

"I'm fine," he assured. He smiled. Though disappointed, he managed a real smile. "I'd love to have lunch with you," he said in a quiet and understated way.

She smiled widely. "Good," she whispered. She lifted herself and kissed his cheek before returning to her seat. She picked up a fry and proceeded to offer it to him. He stared at her under his long lashes as if telling her to get real, which, of course, didn't surprise her. What did, however, surprise and delight her was when he actually opened up and ate it from her fingers. What a sport.

He stood up while chewing, smiling, and shaking his head at the next fry she eagerly held out to him.

"Just tell me what you want on your gazebo burger, so we can get outta here, will ya?"

She shrugged as she happily went back to eating her own appetizer. "You know what I like. I trust you. I'll take anything as long as it comes with a side of you." She looked at him instantly and winked. "Got a _jeez_ for me?"

He turned his reddening face away. "Jeez," he whispered out of habit before he could catch himself.

"Right on schedule," she said proudly.

"Caesar! Need a cheeseburger for Lorelai! Ham and cheese to go!"

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

"Are you hungry, Lorelai? I can fix you up something really quick. "

Lorelai drank from her _Luke's_ cup as she walked up next to Sookie's working space. "No, thanks. Just came from lunch with my SSBF, so I'm okay."

"SSBF," Sookie considered. "Super Smart Bacon Fryer?"

Lorelai snapped her fingers. "Exactly! Who needs a _Strapping Sexy Boyfriend_ when you can have a Super Smart Bacon Fryer?" She spent a few seconds shaking her head before she found herself enticed. "Wait, is that really a thing? Where can I get one of those? Because, um, _yum_!"

"So, you had lunch with Luke," Sookie sing-songed.

"That, I did. My main squeeze and I took it to the gazebo and spent thirty minutes sharing our food with the flies and mosquitoes. I almost didn't want to leave that utopia."

"Sounds romantic."

Lorelai smiled and spoke genuinely. "Yeah, despite all, it was nice. Got to spend some time with Luke, so I'm a happy girl."

Sookie picked up a bowl and started whipping a mixture with a large whisk. "Well, at least you get a chance to escape the madness for a little while every day. If I left this kitchen, everything would fall apart."

Lorelai tilted her head. "Everything would _not_ fall apart. You just refuse to give this beautiful staff of yours an opportunity to prove themselves. You gave them wings but you keep blocking their flight."

"Aren't you the insightful one," she teased.

She smiled. "Well, I've done some flight blocking in my day, too. Remember when I first trained Michel at the Independence? It took a while before I trusted that he would manage well in my absence. But eventually…I let him test out those wings of his."

Sookie nodded. "Yeah, I know. And you've been regretting it ever since."

"Ugg, yeah, pretty bad example, huh?"

"I know I could stand to trust these guys more. Jackson would sure appreciate it if I could take a break from this place more often. We haven't had any _us_ time in days."

"Do I sense some Luke and Lorelai envy?" Lorelai asked with a grin.

She chuckled. "You certainly do. Even if I could get away for a quick lunch with Jackson, it'd still be a hassle trying to find somewhere to be alone. You and Luke have it made. He can throw a patty on the grill, you two can run upstairs, and he'd be back in time to flip the burger."

"Yeah, because apparently, in your mind, Luke is a twelve year old boy who just discovered the joy of the happy sneeze."

"You know what I mean," Sookie replied laughingly.

Lorelai bobbed her head. "Yeah, Doll, I know what you mean."

"You guys have easy access. You and I haven't been getting much free time, but put that that _easy access_ with the little free time _you_ have, and I'd say you guys are pretty damn enviable."

Lorelai shrugged. "Well, it's not _that_ much free time."

"It's lunch. It's after work with no baby. It's a lot closer to paradise than I'm able to get, I'll tell ya that much."

"Not exactly. I mean, when I leave this place, Luke is either closing up or already in bed, so…there's that. And as for lunch, he's busy with his own business, so it's pretty much eat and run."

Sookie looked confused. "So, when do you guys find the time to…" There was a long pause. "You know."

Lorelai smiled. "Give you something to envy?" she assisted.

"Yeah," she answered with amusement.

She looked around briefly, checked everyone's listening distance. "Luke's a date guy. Thanks to this place, I haven't been able to give him that in a while."

Sookie spoke in nonchalance. "Well, Jackson's a date guy, too. But he's still a guy, and while courting me, he was never one to turn down any bonus romps."

"Thanks. I so wanted to know that."

"Well…it's the truth," she said with a playful elbow shove.

"Be that as it may, Luke isn't Jackson. Luke is…Luke."

"Luke's a _man_," Sookie stressed.

"Luke card trumps man card."

"Man card is never trumped, Lorelai. A man is always a man."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Well, if I'm understanding this correctly, you're telling me that you and Luke haven't _ahem'd_ since your first date," she said with a conspicuous clearing of her throat. Lorelai smiled amusedly, letting her know there was no disagreement. "You're under the impression that he's okay with that because if _ahem'ing_ doesn't come attached to a date, he's not interested."

"Well, I wouldn't say _'not interested'_." She held her arms out to her sides. "I mean, hello!"

"Answer the question!"

Lorelai thought back. "There was no question."

"Do you agree with what I just said?" Sookie asked impatiently.

She sighed. "Yes, Sookie, I agree."

"Okay. And I'm telling you that while that Luke side you're so fond of is probably doing an amazing job taming the beast, the man side of that _man_ is wanting…no, no, _needing_ you to focus on a different kind of lunch meat when you stop in for your afternoon visit."

Lorelai laughed. "How…colorful."

"Read between the lines."

"Oh, I read!" she assured quickly. "Done and done. Trust me, Sue Johanson."

Sookie shook her head with a smile as she focused on her work. "I can't believe you, of all people, need your eyes opened to this."

"I don't need my eyes opened to anything. I know Luke, and I know what kind of guy he is. And by and by, I actually _like_ this guy, so I'm going to hold off on the whips and chains, quickies in unlawful places, and the human buffet table while I make an effort to respect his pace. For _once_ in my life, there's something real here, so there's no reason to hide behind the crazy sexcapades. Did I mention I like this guy? Because I do. Really not interested in scaring him off, Sook."

Sookie sighed and put her hand on her hip as she looked to her friend. "Lorelai…"

"Here we go again."

She leaned in with a grin in place. "Luke. is. a. man. For over a week, you've been prancing around him in outfits like this one," she said gesturing toward Lorelai's tantalizing skirt and low-cut top. "…and he hasn't been able to do anything about it. The man is probably at his breaking point."

"So, suddenly, I'm the woman who's not keeping her man satisfied?"

"Stop putting words in my mouth!"

"Look, the second I have a night free, it's going to be me and Luke. A _very anticipated_ second date. He's an old-fashioned guy. It's great and hot and charming as hell, and I love that about him…and I refuse to be the slutty girlfriend who doesn't respect him enough to just let him be."

Sookie conceded. Chuckled knowingly. "You've got to be climbing a wall by now."

Lorelai smiled. "I'm fine."

"You lie."

"I'm handling it."

"With what hardware?"

She gasped. "Sookie!"

"Sorry! But I know you," she revealed giggling. "And this has got to be killing you." She pointed a kitchen instrument at her. "Especially if what you told me is true….you know, about Luke's _capabilities_."

Lorelai took a breath. "It doesn't matter what I may or may not be going through. Luke's pace is my pace. And if he was suffering, as you say, I seriously doubt he'd keep that a secret. I'd know."

"I suppose you're right."

"Of course, I am."

"I'm sure Luke is holding up just fine."

"Yeah, of course, he is. He's gotta be," she said with a weak shrug.

Sookie went on. "New relationship, no sex in what's approaching double-digit days...what guy wouldn't be _totally_ cool with that?" she asked with inflection.

Lorelai looked off as she considered that. She snapped out of it slowly. "Um, yeah, no big deal," she answered with uncertainty.

Sookie nodded hugely. "Exactly. No big deal." She shrugged a shoulder and spoke with naiveté. "I mean it's not like Luke is a…_guy_ or anything. I mean, if he was a…_man_ then you'd have something to be worried about. But good thing he's Luke. Completely immune, good old-"

"Okay, okay, enough sarcasm for one day! Hush, you!"

"Oh, come on, I was just getting warmed up!" Sookie pleaded.

"Seemed like you were overheating from where I'm standing."

She laughed. "Sorry."

Lorelai smiled congenially. "No, you're not. You were having way too much fun at my expense."

"Nooo, never way too much. There's no such thing."

"Well, Tickle-Me-Sookie, if you don't mind, I'm going to go jump back into the long list of chores I have today." She headed over to the coffee machine and popped the lid to her _Luke's_ coffee cup. "Think I'm gonna try to get out of here a little early tonight."

"Oh, _reeeally_? Why is that?"

"'Try' is the operative word, of course. The more determined I am, the longer that list of mine is bound to become."

"Inspiration behind leaving early is?" Sookie pressed.

"This coffee's good today," she said after taking a sip. "I don't have that shock of going from pristine to run-of-the-mill like I normally do." She smiled at her friend. "No offense."

Sookie shrugged. "None taken. Coffee's not going to get me a slot on Food Network," she supplied without care. "Now, back to my leading questions, _Evade_r Holyfield."

Lorelai turned away with a flourish. "Ta-ta! Off to grow the business in an effort to make a CEO of an impressive cartel want to sink his claws in."

"Speaking of sinking claws in…!" Sookie yelled after her, causing a previously occupied kitchen staff to take notice.

Lorelai left without another word. Only laughter.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

That very night, Lorelai left the inn earlier than she had in a while, but her busy schedule didn't allow her to leave anywhere near the time she'd hoped.

She had wanted to spend some real time with Luke. Her and Rory's relationship for the past few weeks had been restricted to phone calls, and those were never a problem, no matter how busy she became at the inn. But the other important person in her life, the icon of the flannel community, got very little of her time. Phone conversations definitely weren't how you nourished an intimate relationship, particularly when there was absolutely no need to lay a foundation.

Sookie's words had gotten to her, and she really hoped she wasn't being oblivious to Luke's stance on her lack of canoodling time. She wanted to believe that she'd been right about it because of the guilt that would surely come down upon her with no mercy if she wasn't.

Those eight days were beginning to weigh on her like eight weeks.

While she didn't have the time she wanted to have, she did find that she was able to catch Luke before he closed. The next morning he'd have to be up super early for his bread delivery.

She went to the diner and decided to weigh what she saw as fact against Sookie's supposition. The late hour left little possibility for that night, but she'd already decided to make time for him in the next two days or so if it killed her. There would be a date. If that meant canceling and rescheduling, then she'd be a canceling and rescheduling fool. It wouldn't always be the way it was presently, and she knew that. But for now, she also knew she had to learn to juggle better. It definitely wasn't in her plans to be entering into such an important romance while her business was in the crawl-before-walk stage, but it was the way things had happened, and nothing in that two package deal with expendable.

Lorelai walked into the diner, spotted him, and smiled automatically. After hours of work and not-so-fun duties, it was damn good to walk in and see that face.

She slid her jacket from her arms as she approached a stool. "Hey, Pretty."

Luke looked up from his receipts, noticing her arrival for the first time. The bell hadn't even made him blink. He'd just relayed a monotonous, "Closing in five minutes. Order fast and eat faster." Lorelai had, of course, paid him no attention.

He looked awed and definitely surprised as he noticed it was she who had come in. His eyes instantly floated down her body, and he took in all that was gorgeous. "Hey," he greeted in question form as he offered a controlled smile. It went away instantly and he frowned. "Did you call me pretty?"

Lorelai laughed and placed her things on the end stool as she kept walking. "Next to my unappealing, ugly day, you're the prettiest thing I've ever seen." Luke's smile crept back through his resistance. He set his slips on the counter and followed her lead by walking toward her. Lorelai stopped just shy of the invisible employee line and she waited for him. When he was closer, she held her hands out to him and smiled as he slid his rough, warm hands in hers with a roll of his eyes that showed he was only doing that sappy action for her. The curve of his lips was undeniable. She pulled him the rest of the way. Spread his arms apart with her hands still holding his and slowly wrapped his arms around her own waist. Her hands behind her own back, entrapping his, she breathed fuller and made her chest press into him with every breath.

She looked in his suddenly serious and aroused eyes for a moment and then lowered her eyes to his succulent lips for a longer moment before she whispered, "Missed you."

He swallowed. Muttered words of reciprocity before pulling her in further for a much-needed kiss. With his hands grasping her back on their own, Lorelai slid her hands up his arms before she was holding the sides of his neck sensually. Her tongue left her mouth, entered his, and she felt him pull her against him tighter. He kissed her back and returned passion for six seconds that zoomed by faster than even six seconds could zoom. He steeled himself and for a moment left her kissing unmoving lips as she groaned sweetly in frustration and tugged the collar of his flannel to get him focused.

When that didn't work, she moved her face away from his, and he immediately did a quick motion toward the dining area with his head. He appeared more annoyed and frustrated than embarrassed at what was there. Lorelai looked over into the faces of a teenage couple sitting at a front table snickering and trying to look occupied now that the show was over. At the counter was a middle-aged woman who had on her face a look of astonishment and intrigue as she stared unabashedly.

Lorelai had seen them all when she entered the diner, so she knew they were there. It didn't bother her. Not like she'd planned to do Luke in their presence or anything. Although imagining Luke's reaction to that suggestion made her definitely want to lay it on the table.

"Sorry, folks," she said to the spectators. "I tripped." She backed away with a large smile. "Good thing Luke's lips were there to break that fall, right?"

Snickering turned to laughter at the teenager's table and the other patron smirked and turned attention back to her own business.

Luke sighed and returned to his previous spot where his receipts awaited him. Lorelai walked to the stools and sat in front of him, three stools down from the lady.

She sighed contentedly and looked up at Luke with a grin. "Sorry about that," she said quietly to him.

He shook his head. "Don't be."

"Told you I missed you."

"I missed you too," he said with a brief and soft regard.

She smiled and lowered her eyes to her fingers. That had been the first time she'd been wrapped in his arms since their first time together. Which was pretty unforgiving. She was starting to understand more of Sookie's logic.

He cleared his throat. "I didn't expect to see you tonight. This is a good sign, right?"

She looked up. "What do you mean?"

"Just that it looks promising, you being able to get away from that place before the crack of dawn. May be looking up from here."

Sookie's straightforward words bounced around her head as she bit her lip and watched him work. She leaned in. "Longing for some alone time with yours truly?"

"That's putting it mildly," he answered while keeping his eyes lowered.

She nodded. "Well, feeling's mutual."

There was a moment before he spoke again. A moment that he still went without looking at her. "So, no better update? Still looking at next week before you have a free night?"

She held her tongue and sat on knowledge that she'd be rearranging her schedule so they'd have a night in the nearer future. "No, sorry. No better update. I do have the rest of tonight…." She said that casually but clearly. Waited several beats for him to extend an invitation to her. Because he wanted to. Anyone could see he wanted to jump on that opening. And what wasn't obvious in his mannerisms was certainly obvious in his kiss from before.

A fleeting look of disbelief crossed Lorelai's face as his silence drug onward. Not because Luke was disproving her earlier notion of how he wasn't like other men. He wasn't, honestly. His hormones couldn't change that about him. What ruffled her feathers was that he wanted her to come up despite his sleep schedule and _he didn't even feel he could tell her that_. They'd been dating for close to three weeks and had only slept together once. What was abnormal about such a desire?

Lorelai didn't like his reticence in that area, and she truly hoped she hadn't done anything to inspire it.

"Luke?" she called to get his attention.

He looked at her, and she asked him if he was okay.

He nodded and kept busy and shrugged noncommittally like the worst actor. "Sure. Just…wondering when I could plan to…take you out is all." He smiled wryly. "Getting pretty desperate here."

There was an instant desire that rose. One she had to squelch. A desire that had her wanting to drag him to the nearest room. Lorelai feared there'd be plenty of things in the future that'd make Luke want to take off. Plenty of things that'd make him go, 'what the hell was I thinking?' before tossing her heart back at her and running for safety. Flaws that, if they were snakes, wouldn't be the garden variety but would instead be the monstrous anacondas that had inspired not one, but two movies.

Of the countless things that could and _probably would_, one day, push Luke out of the door, Lorelai knew without shadow of a doubt that sex would never, _ever_ be one of those things. He hadn't yet had an opportunity to fully experience her commitment to that area. But he would. And hearing him come close to pleading for it almost made her frantic enough to correct that dissatisfaction on the spot.

She internalized the blow to her female pride. Wrestled with that cocky beast and barely won. 'Getting pretty desperate', he'd said. Ouch. She finally relaxed and finished playing out her hand to see if he'd resuscitate her argument from where it lay dying pitifully next to Sookie's.

'_If he was suffering, as you say, I seriously doubt he'd keep that a secret. I'd know.'_

"Pretty desperate for _a date_, you mean?" she specified sweetly. She rooted for him to deny that and yell his true meaning from the rooftop.

He sighed. Grasped his neck, tight from stress. "Yeah, sure. Of course," he answered. "A date is exactly what I need."

The kids stood up to leave. "We're gone. See ya, Luke." "Bye!" they said one after the other. Luke looked up, and the guy threw up his head in a cool guy fashion and pointed to the cash on the table to cover food and tip.

Luke nodded back. "Have a good night, guys."

The two of them exited, and Luke stuck the receipts in his pocket and went around the counter to clear their table.

Lorelai studied the wall for a few seconds before she slowly turned her work-weary body around to face her latest and greatest infatuation. He stacked plates in the crook of his arm.

"I'm really sorry, Babe." She apologized for her lack of free time.

He didn't say anything. Just finished clearing the table. When done, he approached her on the stool. "Stop saying that, will you?" he said in his usual grumpy way. He used his free hand and ran it down her soft curtain of hair before he moved in and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Still crazy about you, regardless," he added unassumingly. He smiled a beatific and modest smile at her unwavering stare. He stroked her hair for a second longer before he moved around her and went about his business. "You want something to eat?"

As he left her space, Lorelai smiled like a smitten and inexperienced teenager. Touched for the very first time.

As she swiveled her stool back around to the counter, she caught sight of the lady sitting three stools down who looked just as taken by Lorelai's beau as she was. The man who compared to no other.

Lorelai drew her eyes to slits and gave her a playful warning that couldn't have been more serious. "Don't even think about it. He's _mine_."

The lady chuckled at the playful territorial show but apparently understood the gravity behind the words. She held up her left hand and wiggled the finger next to the pinky. "Don't worry. I've got one of my own." She threw a wishful look towards Luke in the back and sighed. "Not quite like that. But I'm in it for the long haul with the one I do have, unfortunately." She winked. "Down, girl."

Lorelai smiled as she showed embarrassment. "Sorry."

She gathered her things. "Don't be. With any luck, in twenty years, you'll still be giving possible floozies that same warning glare. _Happily_."

She smiled without words that time.

"Goodnight."

"You too. And again, sorry...for the baring of the teeth."

The lady laughed and exited, making the bell sound throughout the diner.

Luke yelled from the back. "Who is that? Did somebody else come in? We're closed!"

"No, last customer left, Sweet Cheeks. It's just us."

"Oh," he followed. He dropped something metal and cursed out loud.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just this damn stupid…damn thing. Got a mess back here, but I'm okay."

"Want me to help?"

"Nah, it's okay. Did you want something to eat while I'm back here?"

"No, I'm already stuffed, Hon. I've eaten." She thought about all she'd been thinking about since her talk with Sookie and even more since having verification from the man, himself. Luke broke her of the thoughts.

"So, you want to tell me about your day?" he called. "You vent to me; I vent to you?"

She smiled. "I'd love to. Ladies first?"

"Yeah, take it."

She released a breath as she instantly recalled the sour points of her day, which were fortunately mixed with plenty of not-so-sour ones. She jumped in and started recounting. Started with the good, getting livelier every time she saw Luke's head pop up to the window to give her as much attentive eye contact as he could while cleaning. Those lovable, dazzling eyes of his made her want to keep talking until there were no more words to say.

He listened to her not like a sulking, sexually deprived man wanting her to just shut up and get naked.

He received everything she said genuinely. Like caring about her woes and listening to her inner workings stood alone from anything else. He was always friend first; gave her that uncompromising respect no matter what.

In twenty years time, Lorelai knew that she would have only perfected her snarl.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Date night would be three days away. Lorelai arranged it so she'd leave the inn four o'clock at the latest when the day came. She called Luke from the front desk the moment it was a done deal, and he was happy to hear it. It gave him something to look forward to. Lorelai smiled over the phone and didn't hide how excited she was to have a night out with him.

The previous day, after her talk with Sookie, Lorelai's objective had been to finish up early and head to the diner around seven or so. That had fallen through, and she'd gotten there just before ten. She'd still had her time with Luke, but they did nothing that a diner full of customers would've discouraged. She left after he finished cleaning, and her guess was that he'd gotten a full night's rest before his super early bread delivery, neither of which had been her original plan.

But it'd worked out well. She'd gotten a chance to talk to him without her eight-day blinders on, so she'd been able to see what she hadn't been seeing. She had time to think and process all that _was_ and all that needed to change.

She needed Luke to know that he had her. As far as she was concerned, he didn't think that. He couldn't possibly, when he didn't feel it was okay to confide to her that he needed to be with her.

When she hung up from Luke at the inn, she stayed at the business only for another two hours. At the end of that time period, she put everything on hold, announced her departure to Sookie, and left to work on her relationship.

Waiting an extra day had allowed her to plan her wardrobe. Had allowed her a mid-day bath with luxurious bath beads that created and perpetuated allurement. Brought an intoxication that would make an already interested man step outside both mind and morals if it led to one night in heaven.

Smelling good, looking good, feeling confident, and feeling the effects of those, now, nine days, herself, Lorelai went from home to _Luke's_.

It was 66 degrees outdoors. With summer ending and autumn beginning, temperatures had begun to drop. It would soon be another cold, cold Connecticut winter, and everyone would be bundled up head to toe. Lorelai was already an expert at the winter enticement. Finding different, creative, and always tasteful ways to display assets was something she'd perfected before there was even a Rory.

The cool and windy day didn't cause anyone in the diner to take too much notice of the coat she wore. Not too thick, not too thin, the cream-colored trench extended just shy of her calves. The brown, strappy heels made that area of her leg an attraction. Make-up flawless, hair in a meticulously styled messy ponytail, she looked like the day hadn't yet touched her.

She entertained brief pleasantries and finally made her way to Luke. The diner was filling for its dinner crowd by then, so things were busy. Luke was busy. He hadn't seen Lorelai enter, and all of the noise in the diner had made him unable to hear her while she conversed. She approached him from the rear and appeared at his side without warning, gaining his attention.

She smiled. "Hey."

He waited a beat before responding, "Hey…" He looked confused at her presence and then staggered by her unparalleled degree of beauty. "What are you doing here?" he asked while tracing her face with his still confounded eyes. She started talking, laughter in her voice as his eyes went from her face to the rest of her like he couldn't stop himself from drinking her in.

"I got some time away, so I stopped by."

"Oh." His eyes went back to hers. "Well, glad to see you. You…wow…you look great."

"Thanks." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. The tired and overworked expression she had come in to livened and he showed instant rejuvenation the moment her scent hit him full on.

"That smell. Um…damn."

Lorelai laughed a little. "You okay?"

He swallowed. "Not sure," he mumbled as he stared at her some more.

She adjusted her purse and jumped into her script. "I know you're crazy busy in here, but if you don't mind I'd like to talk to you alone when you get a chance," she said, suddenly sounding serious.

His eyes widened in worry. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she answered instantly with a shrug. She paused. "Well, nothing I want to discuss in here." She dropped her hands in her coat pockets. "So, can they spare you?"

"Sure. But you're starting to scare me a little here."

"Don't be scared. It's nothing like that."

"But it's serious?"

She didn't answer. "Is it okay if I wait for you upstairs?"

He nodded. "Uh, yeah, that's fine."

"Thanks. Just come up when you can. Plan to stay a minute."

She started to walk away but he called her name and lightly grasped her arm. She turned and saw such an uncertain and troubled look in his eyes. "Is…everything okay between us?" he asked quietly.

Her breath hitched. The desire she had felt last night—the desire to drag him off to the nearest room—came back stronger than ever. Did he really think she was about to break up with him?

She broke contact, took hold of the hand that held her, and squeezed it with affection. "Get situated down here and come up so we can talk. As soon as possible, please."

Then, she turned and left.

She made it upstairs and walked into his apartment. Paced for a moment in the middle of the floor before she made herself get in the right frame of mind. Luke's concern bothered her, and she had to fight not to let the most gushy part of her emotions show when he stepped foot through the door.

Here she was crazy about the guy, relating to a 1982 Dreamgirls hit that assured he was the best man she'd ever known and there was no way she'd go; _no, no, no, no way_, and there he was thinking she was ready to kick him to the curb just because she'd mentioned a private conversation.

She definitely had to do some hardcore struggling to get her head in the game.

It only took a minute before full focus kicked in. She was motivated.

She breathed a deep breath and walked over to the kitchen table where she deposited her purse, lifted one of chairs, and walked back to the center of the floor with it. Looking at the front door, she lined the chair up perfectly and sat down.

There would be no grand show. It would be kept simple.

No tricks.

No specially prepared treats.

Simple.

She crossed her legs and the coat parted up to her thighs. She moved both hands to her knee and rested them there as she waited silently and calmly.

It only took seven minutes before her party of one turned to a party of two.

Luke came inside the apartment like he had been in a rush to get up there every since she'd left from downstairs. He paused at seeing her sitting in a chair in the middle of the floor several feet away.

"Hey," he said out of breath. He pushed the door closed and continued looking at her with confusion. "Why are you sitting there?"

And action.

Lorelai stood up and pushed the chair to the side. She turned her back to Luke and listened to him question her with a tone that said he thought she was about to get a running start and leap from the window.

Her hands worked the ties and the buttons as she looked ahead at the far wall.

Luke took a step. "Lorelai?"

She looked down at herself. One brief glance. She got instant self-approval and a coy smile decorated her face as she turned to face him.

With one foot out to one side and the opposite hip jutted out to the other, she tossed her head to the side, put her hands on her bare hips and answered him with a sensual, "What can I do for you?"

Luke's pupils dilated. His mouth dropped open, and counting the whites of his eyes and the hat on his head, his face displayed every eminent color of the US flag.

Lorelai allowed only a short time for the initial shock to pass. She moved her hands from her hips and let the coat fall to the floor behind her.

She flipped her hair and hit a slow turn as she showed off her bra and matching thong. When she faced Luke again, she was sure he'd stopped breathing. Her hands returned to her hips. "_Lust_," she said with full elocution. She motioned toward the thin and revealing undergarments that weren't under anything but the evening light. "The color of lust," she clarified. "What do you think?"

He looked like a guest in his own apartment as he stood there lost. "W-w-w-w, um, what-what are you…" He took a frustrated breath, and Lorelai laughed a soft, beautiful laugh while dressed like a fantasy.

Her sexy heels clicked along the floor and announced her advance. "What am I doing? What am I thinking? What exactly do I have in mind? Speak your mind, Love."

He started breathing like a ravenous animal when all that appeal came upon him. "You, uh, said you…wanted to talk," he said.

"And I do." Her scent floated to him once again, and he became an instant captive. She kissed him on the lips and then moved her mouth to his ear just as she felt his hands touch her body. Her words were whispered. "I want to talk about how horny I am." She sucked his ear lobe into her mouth, tasted the sweat from his long day of labor in and out of the kitchen. She sucked it clean, growing wetter at the sounds of his moans and the touch of his hand as he palmed her ass. She breathed for a moment in his ear. "Fancy a fuck?" she ended breathily.

"_Oh my god_, you have no idea," he muttered heatedly.

She backed away and smiled at how quickly he unbuttoned his flannel. "How much time do we have?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not long. Crowd's getting thick."

Lorelai nodded. "Okay."

He breathed heavy breaths and couldn't stop staring at her body. "God, you're beautiful. You're so beautiful." He dropped his flannel behind him and a muscle shirt remained.

Lorelai kneeled in her heels and pulled at his belt. "It's all for you, Luke," she replied with a sage and shy tone that contrasted completely with the woman he'd come in to.

He stopped assisting and let her finish with his pants as he used his hand to wipe the anxious sweat from his brow. He touched her hair gently. "You okay?" he asked.

She nodded and pulled a full erection from his boxers without pulling them down. Luke was the one to lower them after many seconds of watching her take him deep inside her mouth. She started sucking him hard and continued sucking him hard. Made him pant and gasp and relinquish and grunt. She brought his release right to the edge and made him fight like a heavyweight to push it back.

She stopped with a pop and stroked him good. Then used her mouth to give a pulsating oral massage as she stood up little by little. Ended up bent at the waist as she tended to man's ultimate best friend. She got upright and kept a tightly wrapped right hand running from the base of his well-endowed appendage to the tip, all of it slick with saliva.

She kissed his lips once and started to speak, started to ask him where he wanted her, but before she could, Luke grasped her and kissed her deeply. She felt his hot and rising body temperature through his thin undershirt and his hard, pulsating sex against her hip. When they parted for air, she whispered what she wanted inside of her and when. The urgency of her 'now' made him usher her to the couch without pause. He lowered her and then anchored her with his own weight. He returned his tongue to her mouth and instantly tried to guide himself inside of her, realizing then that she still had on panties.

With so little patience to speak of, he grew frustrated with trying to pull the crotch of the, now, soaked material to the side only to have them fall back in place.

She reached for what had yet to fill her. Anxious and needy, she whispered that word 'now' again.

Without forethought, Luke tore the thin material with one strong tug and pulled it away, no problem. He saw no reaction from her; only want. He placed himself at her opening and pushed into her in one motion that made her yearning turn to pleasure. She calmed, smiled, and then grew serious as she encouraged his thrusts and searched out his lips.

He moved both hands under her bottom and started fluid motion. They kissed deeply and allowed the kiss to end on its own. He got close to her ear and whispered words asking if she was okay. The raggedness of his voice told her he was completely under her spell. She gave him her tongue, kissed him passionately, before assuring that she was fine. His pace got fast and he buried more inches inside of her. She bit her lip but still couldn't control the long, intensified moan that escaped. She was so wet and so horny and so close that the pain that brought was forgivable.

There was nothing small or average about Luke. She figured it'd take a few more test drives before she felt comfortable enough to handle all gears, but from what she'd experienced so far, she was definitely going to love Luke's power model.

Lorelai gripped his arms. "I'm coming. Come with me," she whispered before wrapping him tight.

He went deeper when she thought he'd already reached the fullest potential. He hit it and hit it hard. It made her scream just as her orgasm exploded through her. Luke wasn't too far behind. Had to bring that extra pain to make it happen right then and join her in that moment. He spasmed on her and filled her as her body pulsated. He pushed in and out gently and sent another small ripple through her as he kissed her face and gave soft apologies. Lorelai shook and trembled and held him, too weak to tell him to cool it with the sorries.

Gentleman Luke.

He kissed her more. "I hate to have to just run off, but I kind of have to," he said with remorse as he met her eyes.

Lorelai smiled weakly. "Go back to work. I'll be here."

He looked surprised. "You will?"

She nodded. "In fact, when you get another minute, I want you back up here. I have to talk to you."

"Like you talked to me just now?" he asked.

Again, she smiled. "If you need a repeat of this conversation, I'll be happy to give it to you. But I have to really talk to you, too."

"Uh oh."

"No uh oh." She kissed his chin. "Just need to be sure you and I are on the same page about things."

"Uh oh," he said again.

She chuckled. "Will you stop with the uh oh. It's not anything bad."

"Well, alright. I suppose I can trust you…this once."

"Such faith." She pinched his bottom, and he smiled.

For a long time, he said nothing. "Guess I'll see you a little later, then, since I'll be downstairs. Unless…do you want to go down?"

She smiled slowly. "I thought I already did."

He flushed. "Very funny." He moved off her instantly after that.

Lorelai sat up from the sofa and glanced over at Luke dressing. She moved her eyes to her lower half and squinted in suspicion. "Hey, you, with the body," she called.

Luke looked over at her.

"Did you tear my underwear?"

He looked down at her ripped panties and back to her face. "Well, see, if you remember, you were telling me to…and I was trying to…" He froze. "Okay, bye." He rushed off to the bathroom.

Lorelai couldn't help but laugh as she removed the torn material completely and stood up from the couch.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Twenty minutes went by before Luke was back inside of his apartment.

Lorelai stood at the kitchen sink washing the last of the few dishes he had in the sink. "Hey!" she greeted over her shoulder. "That wasn't long at all. Did you just run up to grab something?"

He walked over to her like he was in no rush. "Nah. Everyone's good for now so I came up. So, what's going on, Ms. Weirdo who likes to wash other people's dishes?" She chuckled, and he smiled at the sight of her in a pair of his old, shrunken boxers and his favorite flannel. "Is it wrong for me to think you look hot in that?"

"Hm, well, that depends. How much did you like _Daddy's Roommate_?"

Luke stepped up behind her and pressed the front of his body against the back of hers. He moved his head to the side and kissed her neck as he eased his hand up her stomach and fondled her breast. "What'd you want to talk about?"

She closed her eyes. "Um…yeah…words…"

"I'll replace your underwear, I promise," he whispered to her before he grasped the sides of her boxer shorts and pushed them down to her ankles, revealing nothing underneath. She kicked them away.

He got back in position and eased a hand between her legs as his mouth returned to her ear. "Eight years. For eight long years, I've been wanting to touch you like this. How does it feel?" He sucked her neck. "Tell me how it feels."

Lorelai's breathing told him what he needed to know. "I think you have your answer," she responded breathily as her juices covered his fingers.

He wrapped his free hand around her waist and pulled her back against him. Made her moan further when she felt his growth. He continued to work his fingers for a long while as he kissed her skin. Finally, he took them away and licked them clean. Told her huskily, "I've got some time."

Lorelai leaned forward and pushed her ass up higher against him. "So, what are you waiting for?"

Luke dropped his pants and didn't waste any time entering her body. He slid in slow and _went_ slow as Lorelai gently pushed back into him. He stopped for a moment and let her move alone. She looked over her shoulder and kept that slow penetration going. Watching that show made him harder, longer. She slowed even more, moaned softly and let air escape over her teeth.

Luke pushed into her and stayed against her as she grinded her bottom onto him. He brought her close. "You sore?"

She laughed an easy, breezy, amused laugh. "Cocky man."

He pulled halfway out and penetrated her even slower. "No, not cocky," he answered lightly. "You're moving different."

She winded into him. "You don't like it?"

He bit his lip as her tightness engulfed the little he gave her. "I love it. Doubt you'll ever hear a complaint from me."

Lorelai let his fullness carry sensation. She moaned and spoke with a bare and breathy voice. "Then, what's the problem?"

"Just wondering." He pushed toward the deep end, and noticed how she flinched before making an effort to take it all. "You sore?" he asked again.

"I'm fine, Mr. Sensitive." She tried to encourage him to go deeper, but he didn't.

He pulled out and leaned low to pull up his pants. "Come here." He took her hand and started walking across the apartment.

"What are you doing?"

"Just moving to the bed. Relax."

They made it there, and she crawled in position and lay on her back with a smile as she looked down at Luke. "Need some cushion, Grandpa?"

"Yeah, the old knees aren't what they used to be," he played along with a roll of his eyes.

She laughed. He climbed onto the bed beside her and smiled when she instantly kissed his lips. He licked her sweetness away and got over her. Kissed her again. Longer. Then, he pulled away. "I told Caesar to come get me if it got busy. Let's hope that's not anytime soon."

"It wouldn't be if we were up here doing crossword puzzles. Since our activity is a little more enjoyable, expect him to be knocking down your door any minute."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you're right. Isn't that how it always happens?"

She grinned. "Wanna pull out a crossword puzzle?"

"I suck at crossword puzzles. I'd rather stick to something I'm decent at."

"Um, archery?"

Luke sighed. "Oh, jeez." With one hand on either side of her body, he inched them down the mattress. "Hold that thought," he finished.

Lorelai smiled when she felt Luke moving her legs apart. "Let me see, something you're good at…something you're good at…" She looked down at him. "I'm drawing a blank up here, Luke."

"I don't know what to tell you. Try thinking outside the box."

"Well, if—ooohhh." Playfulness abandoned her the moment Luke's tongue touched her. He licked hot juices from her clit and started sucking gently like time was all the way on his side. It felt good to her. So incredibly good to her. She climaxed and shuttered. That was the moment he let up and gently massaged her with his thumb and buried fingers on his other hand.

She whispered her assent to a room of silence. Expressed conformity to unasked questions.

_You like that?_

"Yes."

_You want me to keep going?_

"Unnh, yes…yes."

_You like it when I stick my tongue inside you?_

"Omg, yes!"

_You like it when I tease your clit like this?_ _You want more? You want me to give you more?_

"Yesss, yessss, yessssss!"

Luke's endless attention inspired a long satisfying orgasm that made Lorelai whimper like a small animal. She thought that'd be it. Kept thinking he was done distributing paralyzing sensation each time he made her come. He continued, though. Made her feel so tired and so satisfied that she just wanted to fall under.

Time became inconsequential, and the many, many, many minutes that fell away were all geared toward a greater good.

Caesar came up and knocked. Luke had his lips tight around Lorelai's sweetly coated clit. Caesar knocked again. Luke drew his lips tighter and made Lorelai quiver and float away. Caesar knocked a third time and called for him. Luke placed a soft lingering kiss to her inner thigh before he released her leg and finally, his stubborn hold on that joyful rapture.

He swung his head around toward the door. "_What_?" he yelled, intruding on Lorelai's sweet song and startling her back to full awareness.

Caesar returned words through the door. "Hey, chill, Luke! I'm doing what you asked. I need a hand down here!"

Luke rolled his eyes. "Alright, be down in a minute!" he shot back loudly.

He sighed and his eyes fell on Lorelai. "Duty calls." The lazy, sleepy smile that spread across her face made him chuckle. "I guess you're happy," he relayed lightly.

She shook her head against the pillows. "Happy is nothing compared to how I'm feeling. It's lightweight." She reached her hands down to him. "Come here, you."

Luke crawled up to meet her and gradually brought his weight down on her. She wrapped her limbs around him and kissed him deeply. Kissed him like he was about to head off to war someplace. She gyrated her hips and using her thigh muscles, she encouraged action from his pelvis. He hesitated before he reached between them. He fingered and teased her moist center before he used the tip of his shaft to do the same thing. She responded well to both, and he let himself slip inside that heat. They kissed with greater passion at the connection, and she seemed eager to feel him.

Her body's tightness made him happy to move, happy to please and be pleased. He held off on feverish thrusts, moaned to ego-pleasing high heaven at the increasingly overwhelming feel.

His mouth dropped to Lorelai's neck and he went nonstop in a desperate need for release. She joined him in the ego song and clenched his hair with her hands as she arrested him further with her legs. She came suddenly, and really brought out the beast in Luke as he pounded into her like a man on a mission. When he finally discharged, it was certainly felt.

Another knock. "Luke! Seriously, Dude, we're slammed down here! What's the hold up?"

Luke lifted his head from Lorelai's neck and kissed his way to her mouth like the commotion on the other side of the door didn't exist in his world.

Lorelai smiled into his sweet kiss. "You better get going."

He shook his head. "I don't want to."

"I don't want you to either."

"So, it's settled, then." He relaxed further and kissed her more.

She laughed and pushed his shoulders. "Come on, be a big boy and go help Caesar tame the lion's den."

He didn't allow himself to be moved. He, instead, buried his face back in her neck. Growled and vibrated her skin. "You still smell so good. God, what is that?"

"Just something special."

He moaned against her, and she felt it everywhere. "Mm, it's a good choice. Such a good choice. You have no idea."

"I'm glad you like it." She urged him to lift his face, and she smiled and kissed his lips. Then, she put her forehead against his. "Now, diner. Go."

He groaned. "Going." He pulled out of her and stood, allowing her to do the same.

She moved into the bathroom and spoke to him from in there. "Hey, don't forget, I-"

"I know, I know. You still have to talk to me about something. You know, we may want to run and stock up on Red Bull if we're going to continue having these kinds of discussions."

She laughed. "That's what you get for being all irresistible."

"Yeah, I know," he followed distractedly. "It's a curse." He collected his things from the floor and put all of it back on his person.

Lorelai came from the bathroom just as he was about to head in. He smiled and looked down at her smiling face as they circled one another at the door. She lifted her brows flirtatiously and he leaned down and kissed her neck, nuzzling it briefly in a playful manner. She reacted giddily and he resumed his journey inside the bathroom with a wider smile.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Luke entered the apartment a mere ten minutes later.

Lorelai was seated at the kitchen table eating a frozen orange juice pop and beginning read on The Call of the Wild, which she'd found lying around. Licking the tasty treat, she turned in her seat as she heard him come in. "Wow. This _is_ dinnertime at _Luke's_, right—most happenin' spot in town? Where's the bustle? Where's the hustle?"

He smiled. "It's there. Just got a minute away." He gave her a knowing look. "A real _minute_ this time." He walked over to where she was seated and kneaded her shoulders as he stood over her. She reached her hand over her head and offered him a lick, which he turned down. Still, she wouldn't let up, and he bypassed her swaying arm as he leaned down to kiss her in her hair.

He looked down at the open book. "What's that?"

"Something I found." She showed him the cover. "Yours or Jess'?" she asked of the novel.

"Mine."

"I didn't know you were a reader."

"I read sometimes."

"Me too. I'm nowhere near Rory's league, though."

"Same here. With Jess."

"Well, aren't we a fine, quasi literate pair."

Luke chuckled and moved from her rear to front. He pulled her to her feet, took her place in the chair, then guided her onto his lap.

"So," he said with a sigh. "What'd you want to talk about?"

Lorelai sucked her oj pop a few more times and then set it on a napkin. "Those are really good!" she said with happy, wide eyes as she pointed to it. She always got happy when good food was involved.

He smiled. "Helps in the middle of the night when I wake up and can't sleep."

Her eyes lit up. "Well, the idea of sleepovers at your place just got a whole lot better! I love midnight treats."

She made him laugh. "Well, I'm not surprised. Ya know, given your penchant for treats in early morning, early and late afternoon, beginning of dinner, right after dinner, and just before bedtime."

She nodded proudly and pointed to her popsicle. "Don't forget right after sex. Gotta have my right-after-sex treat."

"Of course. How could I forget?" he asked dully.

She smiled. "_Which_…brings me to what I wanted to talk about. Boy, did that work out well."

"Should I be nervous?"

She gave him as serious a look as she could as she thoughtlessly rubbed the hairs at the nape of his neck. "Remember when I mentioned to you that you and I needed to get on the same page?"

"Yeah…" he answered cautiously.

"Well..." She stared into his eyes. "Luke, I don't want you being shy around me."

He looked confused. "I'm not."

"You _were_." She went on, speaking in a voice that kindly questioned him. "You had issues with having to wait for my work schedule to clear up so we could have a date. And you didn't tell me that."

He looked away. "I was fine with your work schedule."

"I'm sure you really wanted to be, but you weren't. You wanted us to spend time together. Like we did today. And you _wouldn't tell me that_."

"So?"

"_So_?"

He rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean it to sound like I don't care."

She went on and addressed his nonchalance. "Listen, I can only _hope_ that I speak for you , too, when I say that you're it for me. I'm a one-man woman all the way. Whatever cravings I get, either you're putting an end to them or nobody is." She paused. "Can I speak for you?"

"Of course, you can," he answered solemnly, though he was clearly not a fan of the conversation.

She smiled, relaxed. "Good. I just want you to be upfront with me. When you get hot," she ended in a soft voice, "tell me that."

He looked around and avoided her eyes. "Well, I guess now it'd be easier to do that since-"

"I showed you how it's done?" she interrupted with a wink.

He went on. "But…before today, what exactly was I supposed to say? I mean, this is new for us. I've known you for eight years, for Christ's sake."

"What a coincidence! I've known you for eight years, too."

"Lorelai."

"It's only hard if you make it hard, Luke. It wasn't hard for me."

"Yeah, I guess."

"We've been transitioning every single day of those eight years. Do you think I went from _below freezing_ to hot when you kissed me that night?"

"Well, no, but…"

"We're an us now. When you want it, let me know. If you're feeling randy at two in the morning, pick up the phone, and call me."

"Jeez."

She continued running her fingers over the fine hairs on the nape of his neck. "Repeat after me." She leaned close. "Lorelai, I love your mind and dig your spirit." She waited for him to say that, but his lifeless stare told her it wasn't going to happen. She went on. "But right now…right this second, I want your body."

"Jeez," he muttered again. "If those words ever come out of my mouth, run. Because I've been body snatched."

She smiled. "Well, I think you get my point."

He sighed. "I do."

"Good." She moved in and they shared a soft kiss.

"So, is this why you came over here today half-naked with just a coat? Because you knew I was suffering?"

She nodded. "Mmhm. Well, that…and I really wanted _your_ body," she revealed.

"Ahh."

"See how easy it was for me to tell you that?" she announced smugly.

"Yes, very inspiring," he replied while ignoring her gloating smile. "But since you want to bring up stuff…" He lifted his brows and made her wait in suspense before he carefully proceeded. "Let me remind you that this is a relationship. And I care about you. You don't have to impress me or prove anything to me….so if you're ever…not in the mood, you can tell me that. I'll never make you do something you don't want to do."

"Not in the mood?" she questioned.

"Yeah," he answered considerately.

She thought for a moment and then wagged her finger in his face. "If you're referring to earlier, then yeah, I'll admit to you that I was a little sore. _But_ that's only because _youuuu_, Mr. Large and In Charge, are going to take some getting used to. But, _not in the mood_? Let's not get crazy here!"

Luke turned red and shook his head at her expression. "Well, I want you to feel comfortable telling me anything like that…_whatever_ it may be."

She considered that. "That's fair."

He nodded. "Good. So is everything you said."

"So, now, we're on the same page?"

"Looks like it."

"What a relief." Lorelai took a deep breath and smiled happily. She bounced a little in his lap. "So, now what?"

Luke laughed. "Now, I go back to work."

There was a sudden pout, but it only lasted a second before she perked up. She reached onto the table and peeled her melting popsicle from the paper towel it clung to. "Ooh, ooh," she began excitedly. "And I can go back to eating my oj pop!"

"Guess your night's suddenly looking up," he stated dryly while pushing her to stand.

She licked the cold treat while half-dancing, half-hopping her way behind him to the door. "Hey, mister?"

"Yeah, miss?" He pulled open the door.

She tugged the back of his flannel a few times. "Mind if I crash here tonight? I can get up when you get up and head home for clothes since I didn't bring any…_or wear any_, for that matter," she ended.

He turned to face her when he entered the doorway. "Of course you can _crash_ here. You don't have to ask me that. It's pretty much your God-given right from this point on." He pulled her in by the flannel she wore and made her lips press onto his. When they separated, she hopped back energetically.

"Alright, headed back to the office, Honey. See you when I get home," Luke jested drearily.

"Okay, Sugar Lips!" she followed without missing a beat. "Just don't forget you married for looks. Your progressive and unskilled sweetheart needs you to bring home some already cooked bacon. Preferably on a cheeseburger."

He turned to leave. "Sure thing, dear."

She grinned cheekily before stepping back inside and closing the door. The cold OJ pop went back inside her mouth. After retrieving her book from the table, she found a comfortable spot on the sofa and made herself at home.

**-The End-**

Let me know what you think! Thanks.


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